Knicks' Trade for 36-Year-Old Draft Prospect Draws Laugh From Now-Retired Player

Patrick Andres | Jun 28, 2024

Nov 24, 2023; New York, New York, USA; General view of the in-season tournament court logo during warmups before a game between the New York Knicks and the Miami Heat at Madison Square Garden. / Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

On Thursday, the Dallas Mavericks and New York Knicks made one of those in-the-weeds trades that typically dot draft day. The Mavericks shipped the draft rights to center Ariel Hukporti, the draft rights to guard Petteri Koponen and cash to the Knicks for the draft rights to forward Melvin Ajinça.

Here's the catch: while Hukporti and Ajinça were drafted Thursday, Koponen was drafted 30th overall by the Philadelphia 76ers... in 2007.

In fact, Koponen's decorated European playing career in Finland, Italy, Russia, Spain and Germany has now entirely come and gone. The Finn is now a coach and he will serve as an assistant for the San Antonio Spurs in the Summer League next month.

That didn't stop him from chuckling on social media about his plight.

"I'm honored (New York), but I'm still going to honor my commitment with (the Spurs)," he wrote Friday morning. "Of course, a financially ridiculous offer could change things. + I got the new hip! I’m ready!"

I'm honored @nyknicks, but I'm still going to honor my commitment with @spurs. Of course, a financially ridiculous offer could change things. + I got the new hip! I’m ready! https://t.co/m4K82Prkcm

— Petteri Koponen (@KoponenPetteri) June 28, 2024

Had Koponen played in the NBA, he would've been just the second Finnish-born player in league history after Atlanta Hawks forward and center Hanno Möttölä (Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen eventually took that title).

It appears that there's still time for Koponen to become the third.